//------------------------------// // One Saddle Arabian Night // Story: The Mare Who Became Queen // by misskoifishpony //------------------------------// Chapter 1: One Saddle Arabian Night A strange and long trail is left on the orange sand. Two long thin indents parallel to one another followed by dainty hoof prints in the middle. This trail...on the vast and never-ending Saddle Arabian desert...is caused by a mysterious cloaked yet tall pony pulling a bulky and full wagon. Despite the sun setting on the horizon, the air still contained the intense heat of the day. The sunset painted the hot sky with dark purple and pink hues. The sand glistened in the dark shadow of the setting sun. The tall wagon pony sang in a haunting but exciting tone... Oh I come from a land, from a far away place Where camels and chaos roam Where it's flat and immense And the heat is intense It's barbaric, but hey, it's home! When the wind's from the east And the sun's from the west And the sand in the glass is right So come on down Trot on by Spread your wings and fly To another Saddle Arabian night! The tall wagon pony finally came up to its destination once on top of the sandy hill. The Kingdom of Saddle Arabia. The view consisted of smooth, cream, curved, solid houses that intertwined with one another along with tents and stands in the alleyways. But all of this was in the shadow of a grand and regal palace. While galloping down the hill, the mysterious traveler sang with passion... Saddle Arabian nights Like Saddle Arabian days More often than not Are hotter than hot In a lot of good ways! Once the mysterious traveler reached the center of town, it began to slow down its graceful gallop into a screeching halt. It gathered dust into the air around its wagon and its hooves. Its cape was flowing beautifully into the breeze. The pony's song began to slow down back to its original haunting tone... Saddle Arabian nights 'Neath Saddle Arabian moons A traveler off his guard Could fall and fall hard Out there on the dunes... "Ah, greetings and salaam to you all." The tall wagon pony pushed down its hood and revealed their true face. It was a mare. A silver coat and mane Saddle Arabian mare. Her mane and tail was long, shiny but filled with knots and fuzz. She had piercing pink eyes on her soft long face. She had an eerie yet alluring voice that can pull in any pony to her path. "Welcome to Saddle Arabia. A land full of riches and rarities beyond the mortal imagination. And I have a feeling...you came for just that. Yes?" The silver mare pulled out the thick rope attached to the side of her wagon. This instantly transformed the bulky wagon into a tented stand filled with neatly stacked books and strolls of all shapes, sizes, and colors. She appeared behind the stand and used her front hooves to draw attention to her supply. She announced in an exaggerated sells-pony's tone, "Here at Diamond in the Rough book stand, we have everything for a weary reader's need. Buy now, and you'll get half of your books for half the price!" She gave a couple of knocks on top of table and a banner popped out of the tent with confetti. The banner was titled "Big Savings for Big Sale!" She chuckled at her own amusing parlor tricks. However, she noticed something leaving her gaze and her stand. She called out quickly, "Ah, don't leave so soon!" Then, her voice goes back to her usual sincere yet alluring tone, "Do not underestimate a good story my friend. For a captivating tale holds more weight than gold. And Saddle Arabia...is a kingdom full of exciting epics and classics. Don't believe me? Well then...let's take a look at one of my favorite tales." The tall silver mare pulls out a very old and dusty brown book with gold bindings on the side. She dusted it before opening its precious and fragile pages. Magical star dust slowly formed and floated above the empty but decaying pages. The magic created alive and moving illustrations to tell the tale inside. She narrated aloud, "Long ago...when the desert was young and new, the ponies of the barren wasteland had created their new kingdom. The kingdom of Saddle Arabia. They had accomplished what no creature couldn't. They had created a peaceful oasis-like society in the midst of the barbaric sandy dunes. How did they do it? The ponies of the new kingdom say that it was because of their Sun Goddess...Celestia. She was the mighty Alicorn who lived in the sky. She controlled the sun, the moon, and the stars at her will...or so they say. They have never met her. They have never seen her. But they believed that she was real. Her magical blessings were real to them...her love for them was real. The ponies of Saddle Arabia built great temples in her honor. They offered their goddess jewels, food, fabrics, and even their prayers. They vowed to Celestia to rule their kingdom with peace and love, and banished any notion of war with their neighboring kingdoms. However, their vow to their goddess became their downfall. One day, a chaotic and powerful creature named Xerxes...invaded the kingdom. Xerxes destroyed everything they hold dear and transformed their world to match his vision. He destroyed their temples and decreed that if pony was caught believing in this Sun Goddess...they would be banished into the barren outlands. And perish. The ponies fell into despair. Some abandoned their Sun Goddess, while others still prayed for her mercy." Our narrator closed the book and looked into our eyes...with a suspicious yet mischievous look on her face. Then, she rubbed her front hooves together and explains, "Some ponies say that some are born great. Some ponies say that others achieve greatness. Others even say that greatness is thrust upon the chosen ones. Yet all agree that salvation comes from greatness. And it all started..." She opened her hooves and revealed a magical floating swirl of star dust. She blows the spell into our eyes and states, "One Saddle Arabian Night..." Xerxes's extravagant yet dark palace floated on a piece of land on top of the hill looking over the kingdom of Saddle Arabia. The windows were filled with bright colors and light and music boomed from inside the palace. Our mysterious narrator magically appeared before us, casually leaning up against a stone Xerxes statue at the front door. She then proclaimed to us, "Every night, King Xerxes throws a party to celebrate his wonderfully chaotic monarchy. He invites aristocrats all across town to come and celebrate in his wealth. The king even uses these parties to show off his prize. Queen Vashti. She was once the princess all of Saddle Arabia, until...Xerxes took her hoof in marriage in the mist of his conquest." The silver narrator disappeared into the night...little by little like the Cheshire Cat. The last thing that disappeared were her piercing pink eyes. Meanwhile, deep inside Xerxes's palace, the party was taking place in a long feast hall. Ponies were floating and walking on the ceiling, instead of on the ground. But this was due to Xerxes's magic. In his mind, the party would be so boring if every pony was dancing on the ground. Parties are suppose to be wild, crazy and unexpected. However, the ponies were not use to seeing the world upside down like their King. Many ponies fainted by the end of the night due to the overwhelming amount of blood rushing to their heads. Yet, they grinned and beared it in order to avoid imprisonment or banishment from the King. The party music was being led by a group of female belly dancers. Especially, by a familiar poofy haired pink pony...with three balloons as her cutiemark. The belly dancers danced in front of a wide and narrow dining table. Every pony glued their attention at the creature at the head of the table. He was a draconquues. A serpent, dragon like creature with a head of a pony...or a goat. It was hard to tell due to his short yet curly white beard and the mismatched horns on top of his head. He had unusual and different colored wings, un-paralleled paws, and had a pair of un-matching feet at the bottom of his long body. But what make this creature truly chaotic looking was the large fang sticking out of his mouth, and his yellow and red eyes. Tonight, this creature was laughing to no end at his own brilliant jokes. The ponies laughed insincerely at the creature's humorously tales, and smiled with beads of sweat running down their foreheads. They listened to the draconquues wearing a white, Sultan-like crown on top his head, and the white royal tunic on his snake-like body. Next to King Xerxes was a blue unicorn mare with a light blue mane and tail. She wore a light purple cape decorated with blue and white stars. Across her forehead was a thick silver headband with a large, oval shaped amethyst on it. Her laughter at the King's jokes may have sounded more sincere than the others...but deep down...her laughter came from her desire for the King's approval...and his approval meant power and privilege to her. Xerxes whispered into the mare's ear without the other ponies noticing, "Hamana, where is Vashti? She should have been here an hour ago." She assured His Majesty with, "Hamana will fetch for her at once, Your Majesty." With a quick bow, she quickly leaves Xerxes's side. The King mumbled under his breath, "How long does it take for one pony to get ready?" When Hamana reached the end of the feast hall ceiling, the King's magic released its grip on her body and let her drop back to the ground. Then, she quietly galloped towards Vashti's bedroom on the other side of the palace. Hamana had a feeling that tonight was going to be a long night. Meanwhile, in the Queen's simply divine and cushioned suite, Vashti was crying at her vanity mirror and surrounded by her loyal crowd of ladies in waiting. She sobbed dramatically into her forelegs while being soothed an orange earth pony, with sandy blonde hair and three apples as a cutiemark. Her name was Ruth. Queen Vashti was a beautiful white unicorn with a perfectly curled purple mane and tail. Her elegance gleamed from every inch of her, even her three blue diamond cutiemark glimmered of her noble blood. However tonight, she cursed her noble blood and her family name. If she wasn't a princess, then she would never have been married to this barbaric invader named Xerxes. The sad queen wore light blue, satin, poofy pants with a cropped light blue top to match. She also wore golden fabric shoes on her hooves, and a gold diamond incrusted tiara on top of her horn. Ruth calmly told the Queen, "It'll be alright Yerr Majesty, things will get better. You'll see." Vashti exclaimed, "You're wrong! Don't you see Ruth? No matter what I do, nothing makes a difference!" Ruth placed her hoof on the Queen's shoulder and whispered, "Please Yerr majesty, you must have a faith." Vashti wiped some of the tears in her eyes and faced the earth pony. She squeaked out, "Have faith in what?" Ruth took a step back from her lady. Her Majesty did have a point. Where was their dear and sweet Celestia in the all of this mess? The rest of the mares in the room nodded their heads towards the ground...trying to prevent their own tears from coming in. KNOCK! KNOCK! Ruth trotted towards the door, but Vashti stopped her. Instead, the white unicorn answered the door. All the mares in the room followed their regal princess to the door with their eyes. Holding their breath to see who it was. As soon as Vashti opened the door, she was greeted with a... "It is time to join us your majesty!" Vashti sternly looked at the grinning and disgustingly polite Hamana outside her door. To think...not too long ago...she was her first lady in waiting. But now, Hamana was waiting on that monster hoof and foot. Vashti could no longer stand this unicorn's presence. "I will not accompany His Majesty tonight. Or any another night for now on!" As she was slamming the door, Hamana's front hoof caught the swinging door before it could close. The blue unicorn slowly re-opened the door. She stared at her Queen with an angry twitch in her eye; however, she had enough will power to plaster on that polite and bright smile. Vashti felt unnerved and frightened by this mad mare before her. Hamana spoke through her gritted teeth, "You do remember the penalty for disobeying His Majesty...don't you?" Vashti stood tall against the royal advisor and shouted, "Yes...I do. And I don't care! I rather face the barren wastelands than be his wife any longer!" Her Majesty slammed the door into Hamana's face. She groaned in pain and rubbed her now bruised muzzle. Then, she ran away from the door. Xerxes's party was interrupted by the sound of Hamana's hard gallop down the hall. The King immediately flew down from the ceiling and conversed with his advisor on the floor. "What is the meaning of this?!" Hamana panted heavily, "Queen...Vashti...refuses to leave...her...room. Hamana...tried...but..." Her explanation was cut short by a dark and deep growl coming from Xerxes. He clenched his fist and snarled. He snapped his talon angrily, and appeared outside Vashti's bedroom with Hamana. Hamana took a step back away from the mad draconquues, in order to not be destroyed in his rampage. Xerxes banged on the door and yelled, "VASHTI! I TOLD YOU TO COME TO THE PARTY!" Vashti yelled on the other side of door, "And I told your most loyal advisor that I'm not coming!" Xerxes hissed while clenching his claws high in the air, "If you're not out of there in five seconds, I'll..." Vashti interrupted him with, "Or you'll what?! Banish me! Go ahead! Banish me!" Ruth whispered desperately to her queen, "Yerr Highness please!" Before Vashti knew it, she was magically poofed out of her room and into the clutches of her savage husband. She struggled and squealed in his grip. This made Xerxes smile evilly. He devilishly replied to his Queen's cries, "Oh I'm sorry. Have I become too predictable for you my dear? In that case..." He snapped his fingers and summoned two muscular armored guards wearing helmets with horns matching those of their King. Xerxes released the white unicorn over to the guards and commanded, "Take her Royal Highness to the dungeons. Let’s see how she’ll enjoy her peace and quiet…while spending the rest of her miserable lif in the chamber of perpetual tickling!" Vashti pleaded, "No! Not that! Anything but that! Please! Don't do this!" The king evilly laughed at his former queen's pleads as she was dragged her away to her doom. Slowly down the hall by the emotionless and stern guards. The narrator's voice echoed within the hall, "The chamber of perpetual tickling was one of the King's most tortuous chambers in his dungeon. Ponies are tickled day and night with no mercy. They are tickled so hard that they can't even breathe. However, the King uses his magic to make his victims last as long as he wants them to...in their horrifying tickled state. Out of breath and stomachs sore from their own laughter. Every citizen of the kingdom feared this chamber with their very lives." Ruth and the other ladies in the waiting bursted out of the bedroom and called out for their ruler Vashti. They reached out to her as she was sadly dragged to the dungeon. Xerxes laughter slowly died off. He darkly told the mares, "I'm sorry, did you want to join her? There's more than enough room in the chamber of perpetual tickling for all of you." The mares looked back and forth between the King and Vashti...trying to decide what would be the right thing to do. With heavy hearts, they bowed with grief towards the draconquues, and returned to the bedroom. As Xerxes and Hamana casually walked down the hall, the King sighed to his advisor, "Remind me again why I married her." Hamana answered, "She was your prize for taking over the kingdom sire." Xerxes mumbled, "Some prize she turned out to be." Hamana then reminded, "But sire, you need a queen in order for your subjects to like you. Remember?" Xerxes groaned annoyingly, "But they already like me. Besides, I need them to obey me! I already took over their kingdom! They should bow at my feet whether they like me or not!" Hamana then reasoned, "But Your Magnificence! Without a queen by your side, the ponies will see this as a treason on tradition! There'll be munity! We cannot afford munity!" Xerxes casually retorted, "Oh let there be munity! Let it come! Those ponies won't stand a chance against..." Then, he summoned dark yet powerful purple flame in his lion paw and held it towards his advisor's face. He emphasized with fire in his own eyes, "Me..." Hamana gulped before nervously stating, "But Your Highness...it will much easier to rule over the kingdom...if your citizens like you even more than they do now." And it makes Hamana's job a whole lot easier. She thought to herself. Xerxes blew out his purple flame and pouted. He crossed his arms over his chest and complained, "How does having a pathetic wife make me even more likable than I already am? Aren't my dashing good looks and charisma enough for these ponies?" Hamana sighed in relief before explaining, "Having one of their own as your wife lets them know that you're on their side. It makes you relatable sire." Xerxes grumbled with his pout growing deeper into his muzzle, "But having a wife is soooo boring. And frustrating!" "His Majesty just needs a wife who's more...submissive and...polite." Hamana soothed him. "Not to mention a wife with a personality." Xerxes mumbled to himself. "Here's what the great and wonderful Hamana will do for you, Your Majesty. Hamana will search all over Saddle Arabia for not only a beautiful new queen, but a queen so charming and talented that she can even win His Royal Highness's heart." she proudly promised to her King. Xerxes rolled his eyes and politely replied, "Very well then, you can go on this little 'quest' for my new queen. However..." The King lowered his gruesome face towards the blue unicorn and uttered in a dark voice, "But if I don't like any of the mares you present to me, I will personally place you in the chamber of perpetual tickling with Vashti." He addded a devilish yet toothy grin with his next statement "Do I want myself clear?" She nervously chuckled, with sweat dripping along the sides of her neck, "Crystal!"